The troubles that Margaret Simon experiences in the Judy Blume classic — romantic anxiety, body confusion, the awkwardness of fitting in with new friends — are especially potent in the preteen years but by no means limited to them. Melissa Bank proves this as she follows protagonist Jane Rosenal from age 14 to her mid-twenties in a series of hilarious and heartbreaking stories of navigating love, work, and life.

Do you agree these were good compliments? What did you think of the books themselves?

Note: I have linked my reviews to each of the respective books as the titles in the beginning of this post. Also, if you have not read the books, I will likely have spoilers below so watch out!

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The odd thing about both of these books is that while I found each enjoyable and funny while reading them, they didn’t stick with me. When I came back to write my consensus of whether they were good complements, I had to remind myself on the plotline of each. They’re both light-hearted, fun and occasionally touch upon slightly deeper topics in an approachable way.

I would certainly recommend both of the books to the respective age-groups intended for them, or perhaps a little younger. “The Girl’s Guide to Hunting and Fishing” would make a great graduation gift!